Ice skate



Feb. 4, 1941. c. WEISMAN v ICE SKATE Filed Nov. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CHARLES WEISMAN BY OZKQ/U/W ATTORNEY.

C. WEISMAN Feb. 4, 1941.

ICE SKATE Filed Nov. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES WELSIMAN mar ZKQM w ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in the construction of ice skates, but more specifically to ice skates wherein the blade thereof is detachably securable to the sole and heel plates and wherein the same blade is laterally adjustable relative to the said plates.

In the manufacture of ice skates of the type adapted to be affixed to a shoe, present day manufacturers make a blade setting which runs along the longitudinal axis of the shoe. Such setting does not fit the requirement of all people since the line of balance along the sole of the foot is not necessarily along the axis thereof. For such reason, most standardized ice skates do not meet with the requirements of most individuals. Usually the wearer is compelled to have the blades remounted on the shoes to best conform to his or her line of balance. Such a resetting involves the removal of the skate from the shoe, which is a laborious procedure and a remounting thereon along a desired line of balance usually is arrived at inaccurately.

The main object of the invention, therefore, resides in the provision of an ice skate wherein the blade thereof is laterally adjustable relative to the sole and heel plates and detachably securable thereto.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an ice skate, the blade or backbone portion of which is capable of being easily and quickly adjustable to conform to and meet the particular requirements of the line of balance of the user.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an ice skate wherein the blade is capable of being set at an angle to meet the required setting for indoor and outdoor racing or to meet the requirements of persons having orthopedic deficiencies.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing typical embodiments of the invention wherein corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of an ice skate showing one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the sole plate of the skate shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the engaging or clamping mechanisms which secures the blade to the sole and heel plates shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a side View in elevation of an ice skate showing another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan View of Figure 5.

Figures '7, 8 and 9 are detail Views in perspective of the clamping or engaging parts which secure the blade to the sole and heel plates shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Figures 10 and 11 are fragmentary views in perspective and elevation respectively of a third embodiment of an engaging and clamping means between the blade of an ice skate and the sole and heel plates thereof.

In accordance with the invention and in accordance with the preferred forms thereof shown in the drawings, numeral ID of Figures 1 and 2 indicates generally an ice skate of conventional form having a blade II provided with a tubular reinforcing member [2 engaged to the upper portion of blade I I by means of a longitudinal channel ll. Blade II and tubular member I2, conventionally known as the backbone of a skate, are adapted to be mounted to the usual sole plate and heel plate portions I3 and I4 respectively. Such mounting, to meet the objects of the invention, is detachable from and laterally adjustable with the sole and heel plates I3 and I4.

A plurality ofcups such as cup I5 and taller cup l6 are provided to connect the backbone of the skate to the sole and heel plates I3 and I4. Cups I5 and I6 are preferably made of seamless steel tubing and at the lower ends are recessed to engage the tubular member I2 and to be permanently affixed thereto in any well known manner such as spot-welding. The upper ends of cups I5 and [6 are provided with the engageable elements to detachably and adjustably connect the backbone of the skate to cooperating elements on the sole and heel plates. The plates I3 and I4 are provided with the usual circumferential openings II and I8 respectively for aiiixing the same to the sole of the shoe.

Although a cup may be used to support the toe portion of sole plate IS on tubular member I2 in the manner shown by cups I5 and I0, it is preferable to provide a toe stanchion I9 to accomplish this purpose. The stanchion I9 is provided with an upper and outwardly turned end 2| and a lower oppositely turned end 2|, the upper end 2 in of a bar situated within each of the cup members.

the upper portion of tubular member I2 inwardly of the forward end. In this fashion, the stanchion I9 is swivelable within the block 20 and is slightly bendable at the plane of juncture with the tubular member I2 in order to afford the toe end of the backbone of the skate lateral displaceability. Moreover, the stanchion I9 is separable from the sole pl'ate I3 by forcing the turned end ZI' out of block 20.

The upper ends of cups I5 and I6 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, are each provided with a split channel formed by lateral extensions 26 and an outwardly extending seat 21, the said seat being split by means of a central and longitudinal wedge-shaped slot 25 proceeding from a point below the upper end of each cup. Each half of the channel is provided witha bar 28 preferably welded to the side and seat thereof, the opposing surfaces of each of the said bar members being angularly cut to afford surfaces 29 to serve as a dovetailing groove for slidable engagement there- 22 transversely affixed as by welding to the undersurface of sole plate I3 and also transversely affixed as by welding to the undersurface of sole plate I4. The sides of bar 22 are angularly cut to conform to the angles 29 in order that bar 22 serve as a dovetail tenon. The slot 25 permits the compressibility of the upper end of the cups I5 and I6 whereby the dovetail groove formed by bar members 28, 28 may be tightened or locked against the bar 22 after adjustability therealong. In order to lock cups I5 and I5 against bars 22, 22 after adjustment is made thereon, provision is made on each of the cups of a depression 30 on the forward side thereof and preferably at a point intermediate the height of the V shaped slot 25. The depression 35 is adapted to receive a polygonally shaped head of an internally threaded bolt 32' The internally threaded bolt 32' is adapted to receive a screw 33 penetrating an orifice 3| opposite the depression 30, the said screw 33 being preferably provided with a polygonally shaped head. It thus becomes obvious that by tightening screw 33 in internally threaded bolt 32, the upper end of each of the cup members is compressed through the intervention of slot 25. When the screw 33 is loosened, each of the cups is made laterally adjustable along bar 22 afiixed to the sole and heel plates I3 and I4 until the correct position of the backbone of the skate is attained by experiment. After such position is determined, the bolts 33 are tightened whereby the skater easily and readily fulfills his or her own requirements respecting adjustability of the blade to the proper line of balance. Wherever desirable, the backbone of the skate may be offset from a proper line of balance by making different adjustments for each of the cups I5 and I6. By sufficiently loosening the screw 33 and by withdrawing toe stanchion I9 from recess 20, it is seen that the backbone of the skate may be entirely removed from the sole and heel plates.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive wherein a skate generally designated by numeral is provided with a sole plate 43 and a heel plate 44, each adjustably mounted to their respective cups and 45. The plates 43 and 44 are each provided with a transversely disposed and rectangularly depressed portion 50, the undersurface of depressed portion 55 having aligned slots 5|, 5| along the axis thereof. Cups 45 and 46 are each provided at their upper ends with a laterally extending channel 41 of which numeral 48 indicates the side walls. The depressed portion and rectangular channel 41 are dapted to be in fitting engagement. An opening 49 on each side of the channel projecting beyond the body of the cup, is provided whereby engagement is made secura'ble with depressed portion 50 of the sole and heel plates. Within the depressed portion 50, is nested a slightly arched metallic strip 52, the crown of the arch lying adjacent to the lowermost surface of the said depressed portion 50. The strip 52 is provided with two spaced tapped openings 53, 53 which openings are adapted to be engaged by screws 55, said screws penetrating openings 49 and slots 5|. The screws 55 are providedwith lock washers 55 to maintain an adjusted position.

The adjustment of the backbone of the skate shown in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive is easily accomplished by loosening each one of the screws 55 and sliding each cup 45 and 46 transversely about the rectangular portion 50, the limits of sliding being controlled by the width of slots 5!, 5|. The tightening of each of the screws 55 has a tendency to straighten the arched metallic strip 50 whereby additional tension is placed upon the screws tending to lock the channel 4'! against the depressed portion 59 in the adjusted position.

Another embodiment of the adjusting and. clamping means for the backbone of an ice skate to the sole and heel plates is shown in Figures 10 and 11 wherein the sole or heel plate 60 has transversely aflixed thereto as by welding or other means a channel member 6| whose lateral walls are downwardly and angularly turned to form V shaped grooves 62. A cup 63 has at its upper end lateral extensions, the upper edges thereof being downwardly and angularly turned to form hook members 64, the latter hook members 64 being adapted to slidably engage with and interlock with the V-shaped grooves 62. The cup 63 is provided with a V slot 65 whereby the cup 63 becomes compressible at the upper end to permit clamping thereof at hooks 64 within the V-shaped grooves 62 after adjustment is made. The clamping or locking of the parts is afforded in the same fashion as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, as by the use of a bolt 32 and a screw 33.

Although three embodiments of the invention have been described, it is understood that the invention contemplates other means to detachably and laterally adjustably mount the backbone of an ice skate to the sole and heel plates.

It is furthermore understood that all the parts of the ice skates may be made from any suitable material but preferably from cold, rolled or heat treated carbon steel and then thereafter electroplated for protection against oxidation.

The detachable feature of the skate whereby the backbone thereof is removable, has advantages when skates must be sharpened or when different types of skates must be used for different purposes. Moreover, the backbone of a skate or the shoe may be discarded separately depending upon which is worn out.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the integration relative location, material, combination and subcombination of parts, and mounting of parts, may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ice skate comprising a sole plate portion and a heel plate portion both adapted to be aflixed to a shoe and having depending transverse lugs afiixed thereto, a blade, cups secured to said blade at one end and having mortises on the opposite ends to adjustably engage said lugs.

2. An ice skate comprising a sole plate portion and a heel plate portion both adapted to be afitxed to a shoe, the said plate portions each being provided with similar transversely disposed tenon members, a blade, a plurality of spacing,

members each being affixed at one end to and along the said blade, the opposite ends of each of said spacing members having mortises to slidably engage the said tenons, the said spacing members adjacent the mortises being split and provided with detachable means to compress the joint between each mortise and tenon to prevent lateral displacement.

3. An ice skate comprising a sole plate portion and a heel plate portion both adapted to be affixed to a shoe, the said plate portions being provided with similar transversely disposed housings having elongated apertures therein, a blade, a plurality of spacing members each being amxed at one end to and along the said blade, the opposite ends of each of said spacing members having ape-rtured sockets which are slidably engageable with each of said housings, an apertured plate member within each housing and detachable securing means penetrating the apertures of the housings, sockets and plate members for fixing lateral adjustment between the blade and sole and heel plate portions.

CHARLES EISMAN. 

